The word for today is…
buttress (noun, verb):
noun
1 architecture : a projecting structure of masonry or wood for supporting or giving stability to a wall or building
2: something that resembles a buttress: such as
a: a projecting part of a mountain or hill
b biology : a horny protuberance on a horse’s hoof at the heel
c botany : the broadened base of a tree trunk or a thickened vertical part of it
3: something that supports or strengthens
verb
1 : support, strengthen
2 architecture : to give support or stability to (a wall or building) with a projecting structure of masonry or wood : to furnish or shore up with a buttress
Source : Merriam -Webster
Etymology : The word buttress first budded in the world of architecture during the 14th century, when it was used to describe an exterior support that projects from a wall to resist the sideways force, called thrust, created by the load on an arch or roof. The word ultimately comes from the Anglo-French verb buter, meaning “to thrust.” Buter is also the source of our verb butt, meaning “to thrust, push, or strike with the head or horns.” Buttress developed figurative use relatively soon after its adoption, being applied to anything that supports or strengthens something else. No buts about it: the world would not be the same without buttresses.
If you enjoyed this BFD word of the day please consider sharing it with your friends and, especially, your children.